Pathways 1800s

Ambitious merchants dissatisfied with the colonial road network created companies to build better roads, called turnpikes, to the rich farm areas of Delaware and southeastern Pennsylvania.  Stop at our toll booth to find out what made turnpikes so important.

Unfortunately the new turnpike network could handle only small cargoes.  To handle bulk goods engineers built the Chesapeake and Delaware canal across the Delmarva Peninsula.  Drop by the canal lock to see how they built the canal and how it became the world's busiest waterway. 

With the advent of steam, railroads connected agricultural towns with urban markets and port facilities, allowing Delaware's farm products to reach a world market. Take a ride on one of  America's earliest railways, the Newcastle & Frenchtown Railroad, while listening to passengers talk about their experience. 

 

Learn what transportation choices Delawareans faced throughout history by becoming a Time Traveler. You can help Delawareans from different periods reach their destination.